Harvard's extensive waste reduction initiatives focus first on reuse, and next on recycling and composting.
Under a newly launched "sustainability index," Wal-Mart's suppliers must report to the company on their greenhouse gas emissions, waste reduction initiatives and ethical sourcing.
It is asking each of its suppliers, an enormous list of businesses, 15 questions about the life of their products from manufacturing through disposal: questions about greenhouse gas emissions, social responsibility, waste reduction initiatives and water use.
After introducing the farmer's market and other waste reduction initiatives at their most recent Linden, New Jersey facility, the company saw a 45% reduction in waste hauling costs within 6 months.
The good news is that most greening initiatives at sports venues realize cost savings, and that is especially true for energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction initiatives.
While it's mind boggling that a food waste problem of such magnitude persists in the U.S., there's been an encouraging increase in public interest in the issue, and ongoing development of new food waste reduction initiatives.
Rather, more time was spent on brainstorming how the sharing economy can link with waste reduction initiatives, serve to rethink delivery of public services, engage youth and elderly, and potentially help tackle a wide range of other social problems for cities worldwide.
These might include quantifying how energy- and waste-reduction initiatives impact the top or bottom line and improve air or water quality.
Waste reduction is not impossible.
Waste reduction is the main manufacturing paradigm in lean manufacturing.
Waste reduction is one of the Hixon Center's focus areas.
